Lamp assmebly



April 18, 1967 H. PFEFFERLE LAMP ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 19, 964

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DONALD H. PFEFFERLE I N VEN TOR.

W? ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,315,070 LAMP ASSEMBLY Donald H. Pfelrerle, Williamsport, Pa, assignor to Sylvania Electric Products, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 390,574

3 Claims. (Cl. 240--1.3)

This invention relates to photographic flashlimps and more particularly to the assemblage of a plurality of these lamps in a photographic fias-hlamp unit.

In the co-pending application of Lester F. Anderson et al., Ser. No. 335,013, filed Jan. 2, 1964, now patent No. 3,244,087, and assigned to the same assignee asthis application, there is disclosed a photographic flash-lamp unit comprising a plurality of reflectors arranged to define an assemblage and having a photoflash lamplocated in operative relationship with respect to each of said reflectors. This lamp-reflector assembly is disposed in a container, the transparent sides of which function as windows for the lamps. In the specific embodiment of the invention ilustrated in the drawing of the referenced Anderson et al. application, each of the lamps is supported in part at least by its associated reflector. One of the principal objects of this invention is to support the lamp independently of its associated reflector while still maintaining it in operative relationship with respect thereto.

Another object is to support the lamp on a base member in such a manner that the photographic flashlamp unit is readily usable in a number of different types of sockets or receptacles, particularly insofar as their electrical contact arrangement is concerned.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated and described in the referenced co-pending application, several lamp-reflector assemblies are disposed in a container, the base of which is provided with elongated slots. The lead-in wires depending from these lamps are in the form of bights which extend through the base of the container for bottom or end-on engagement with electrical contacts on a camera with which the photographic flashlamp unit may be used.

In accordance with the principles of this invention, the lamps are mounted on a base member, independently of their associated reflectors but yet located in cooperative relationship with respect thereto. The lead-in wires depending from the lamps extend through the base member and are secured thereto in a manner which makes the photographic flashlamp unit readily usable in a number of different types of sockets or receptacles. More particularly, the underside of the base member is provided with an annular projection or ring over which the lamp lead-in wires are shaped, whereby the lamps are not only secured to the base member but their lead-in wires are accessible for the establishment of electrical contact therewith on the inside, outside or rim of the ring, or any combination of these three locii. This adapt-ability of the photographic flashlamp unit makes its use readily acceptable and compatible with a variety of sockets and receptacles with which a variety of cameras may be provided.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a photographic flashlamp unit embodying the lamp mounting arrangement of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view of the photo graphic flashlamp unit of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary detail on an enlarged scale of the lamp mounting arrangement on this invention.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, each photoflash lamp 1 comprises an hermetically sealed glass envelope 3 having an exhaust tip 5 at one end thereof and an external press 7 at the other end thereof. The envelope 3 is provided 3,315,070 Patented Apr. 18, 1967 with a combustible such as shredded zirconium foil 9 and a combustion-supporting gas such as oxygen. Leadin wires 11 and 13 which are sealed in and extend through the press 7 of each lamp envelope 3 are part of the ignition system disposed within the lamp envelope and comprising a filament bridging the lead-in wires and an igniter disposed on the inner ends of each of the lead-in wires, neither of which are shown since they form no part of this invention.

Each of the lamps 1 is disposed in operative relationship with respect to a reflector 15 associated therewith, the lamps 1 being mounted on a base 17 and the lampreflector assembly being enclosed in a container 19 of transparent material. The underside of the base 17 is provided with a centrally located boss 21 to receive a male appendage (not shown) of a camera socket or receptacle and thereby provide a means for supporting the photographic flashlamp unit on a camera. The underside of the base 17 is also provided with an annular projection or ring 23, substantially concentric with the boss 21.

As noted above, the lamps 1 are mounted on a base 17. Depending upon the configuration of the press 7 of the lamps 1 and/or other circumstances, the base 17 may or may not be provided with some form of seating arrangement to receive the lamps and aid in the support thereof on the base. In the specific embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, an angular slot 25 is formed in the base to receive each lamp. The lead-in wires depending from each lamp are shaped about the ring 23, as shown particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, thus defining segments a, b, and 0. Segment a defines a lamp electrical contact located on the outside face of the ring 23; segment b defines a lamp electrical contact located on the rim of the ring 23; and segment 0 defines a lamp electrical contact located on the inside face of the ring 23.

This availibility of several electrical contact segments along each lamp lead-in wire makes possible the ready and convenient use of a photographic flashlamp unit embodying this structural feature with a variety of cameras having different sockets or receptacles to receive the unit. The lamps 1 may be connected to a source of electrical energy through any one, any two or all three of these electrical contact segments along each lead-in wire.

As noted above, each of the lamps 1 is disposed in operative relationship with respect to a reflector 15 associated therewith, the lamps 1 being mounted on a base 17 and the lamp-reflector assembly being enclosed in a container 19 of transparent material. More particularly, each reflector 15 is provided with a hole 15a slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the lamp envelope 3. The reflector 15 may also be provided with a dimple 15b to receive the exhaust tip 5 of the lamp 1. Thus, in assembling the components of the photographic flashlamp unit, the lamps 1 are mounted on the base 17 in the manner described above, then the reflectors 15 are slipped over the lamps, and final-1y the container 19 is slipped over the lamp-reflector assembly and secured to the base 17.

What I claim is:

=1. A lamp assembly comprising: a plurality of lamps, each having a pair of spaced lead-in wires depending therefrom; and a base on which said lamps are mounted, said base being provided, on the underside thereof, with a centrally disposed depending ring over which said lamp lead-in wires are wrapped, one face of said ring being substantially in line with the lead-in wires extending from said lamps.

2. A lamp assembly comprising: a plurality of lamps, each having a pair of spaced lead-in wires depending therefrom; and a base on which said lamps are mounted, said base being provided with a centrally disposed depending ring over which said lamp lead-in wires are Wrapped whereby sever-a1 electrical contact segments along each IeIad-in wire are so defined one face of said ring being substantially in line with the lead-in wires extending from said lamps.

3. A photographic flashlamp unit comprising: a plurality of flashlanips, each having a pair of spaced leIad-in wires depending therefrom; a base on which said fiash- 10 lamps are mounted, said base being provided, on the underside thereof, with a centrally disposed depending ring over which said larrrp lead-in wires are wrapped, one face of said ring being substantially in line with the leadin Wires extending from said lamps; and a reflector positioned on said base behind-each of said lamps and in operative relationship with respect thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,040,291 6/1962 Schweitzer 339-217 3,087,318 4/1963 OsWOld 240-13 X 3,096,025 7/1963 Prochnow 240-13 FOREIGN PATENTS 952,318 3/1964 Great Britain.

JOHN M. HORAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LAMP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF LAMPS, EACH HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED LEAD-IN WIRES DEPENDING THEREFROM; AND A BASE ON WHICH SAID LAMPS ARE MOUNTED, SAID BASE BEING PROVIDED, ON THE UNDERSIDE THEREOF, WITH A CENTRALLY DISPOSED DEPENDING RING OVER WHICH SAID LAMP LEAD-IN WIRES ARE WRAPPED, ONE FACE OF SAID RING BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IN LINE WITH THE LEAD-IN WIRES EXTENDING FROM SAID LAMPS. 